Exclusive Interview with Jerry Folk

Proving to be an artist on the rise, Jerry Folk has built up a reputation for producing melodic and soulful deep house grooves that are as nostalgic as they are fresh. Drawing inspiration from the world around him he fuses disco, hip-hop and funk to create his own unique flavor of dance music. Last year his 'Suga Suga (Jerry Folk Remix)' made it's way to #1 on Hypemachine, receiving over 1 million plays and he is only scratching the surface of his production ability. From the sample of music we hear (all available for free download on his Soundcloud) we know there is much more to come from this buzzing young producer. We chatted with Jerry Folk about his production process, his influences and the music scene in Norway in our exclusive interview. Here is what he had to say...

Elektro: When did you realize that music was a passion of yours that you wanted to follow?

Jerry Folk: Music has always been a passion of mine. When I was 18 or so, I started getting more and more feedback on my tracks. After awhile, I just decided to do it full time and try to make a living of it.

What is the music scene like in your hometown of Oslo, Norway? Are you drawn to the club scene or the underground party scene?

The music scene in Oslo is great. I'm still not old enough to attend any of the clubs yet, but there sure is a lot of exciting stuff going on in the club scene here. A lot of underground artists from all over the world get booked to play clubs here all the time.

What are some of your influences? What do you draw inspiration from when making music?

I draw inspiration from anywhere and everywhere. It's hard to pinpoint exactly where I get inspiration from, but I know I always get creative after having a few days off of music and just taking in certain experiences whether it be hanging out with friends or seeing something that catches my attention. I like to go for a bike ride in the morning before I sit down in the studio, just to have some impressions to take with me when I decide to sit down to work. That usually does the trick.

I also draw inspiration from listening to music I love, which is not necessarily music that is similar to my style. For example, I can be just as inspired by listening to a really good rap track. Hearing good music makes me want to make good music, and obviously I get a lot of inspiration from disco tracks. My biggest musical influences stem from genres like disco, house, techno, funk and hip-hop as well as fellow Norwegian producers like Lindstrøm, Todd Terje, Finnebassen, and Lemaitre.

How do you approach your production process? Do you aim to convey a certain feeling or emotion?

Often, I find it easiest to try to make a track that expresses a certain emotion. If I make a track just to make a track, it doesn't really turn out all that good. I want the music to make sense. When It comes to the actual production process, I typically start with a good kick drum. I mix everything in my tracks according to my kick drum, and if I'm not happy with my kick at the start, I have no faith in the rest of the project.

You’ve shared a bunch of quality remixes on Soundcloud, what do you like about transforming a track into your own rendition?

What I like about remixing is the moment when I receive a vocal that I instantly know is good. I'm a very impatient guy so I like to hear the vocals on a track I’m working on as soon as possible. I also have a lot of fun with using acapellas from tracks I used to listen to when I was a kid, like early 00s RnB stuff.

What can we expect from you in the near future? New music on the way? Tour?

Definitely a lot of new music coming out. I also just joined the AM Only family so hopefully a tour is not too far away.